Trainings and Resources

The latest count from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) went up to 93,000 deaths in 2020, an increase of 29 percent over the previous year.  Disparities between different population groups widened: black people 15-24 years old experienced the largest rate increase, 86 percent, seven times that of white men in the same age group; overdose rates for American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) women 25-44 years were nearly two-times that of white women. 

Drug overdose deaths increased 30% in the United States from 2019 to 2020. Known health disparities exist in overdose mortality rates, particularly among certain racial/ethnic minority populations. Implementation of an evidence-based, culturally responsive, multi-sectoral approach is critical to reducing disparities in overdose rates. This includes addressing structural barriers and enhancing efforts such as linkage to care and harm reduction services.

Communities of color have experienced significant disparities in health outcomes from COVID-19, as well as barriers to accessing testing. Predominantly white communities have had access to more testing sites than communities that are predominantly made up of Black and Latinx residents.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention show that on January 10, 2022, the overall vaccination rate in nonmetropolitan counties was lower than in metropolitan counties—48 percent in nonmetro areas versus 61 percent in metro areas. The Economic Research Service at the U.S. Department of Agriculture compiled the data from the CDC and state health departments and reports substantial regional variations. Nonmetro counties in the Northeast, the northern Midwest, and the West have vaccination rates that are above national nonmetro average; meanwhile, a large proportion of counties in the South and southern Midwest have vaccination rates below the national nonmetro average.

CDC created this communication toolkit to help public health professionals, health departments, community organizations, and healthcare systems and providers reach populations who may need COVID-19 prevention messaging in their native languages.

Each year, the Economic Research Service (ERS) at the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports on population and economic trends in rural areas. This edition focuses on factors affecting the resiliency and recovery of rural communities in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, including population and employment change, intensity of infection, vaccination rates, and broadband internet availability and adoption.  Last week, ERS economist Eliabeth Dobis presented the findings in an hour-long webinar that is available for viewing. 

The sweeping, nationwide plan to recover from the pandemic will invest more than $6 billion in underserved and rural areas through Community Health Centers (CHCs). More than 91 percent of health center patients are individuals or families living at or below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, and more than 60 percent are racial or ethnic minorities.

The latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report shows differences by geography (including rural/urban), age, household income, and health insurance status.  Separately, a group of researchers asked rural Oklahomans about their perceptions of COVID-19 vaccines, and found that the most common reasons for hesitancy were their rapid development and lack of research about long-term effects. 

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